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GECOM not ready for Local Govt elections in August- PPP

The Peoples Progressive Party’s (PPP) General Secertary , Clement Rohee on Monday saId that while his party was ready for Local Government elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was not ready to hold the polls.

Rohee would not be drawn into saying whether President Donald Ramotar would sign into law an opposition-approved bill for Local Government elections to be held by August 1, 2014.

He said PPP-associated commissioners of GECOM have advised their party that GECOM was yet to establish boundaries and provide voter education about the new system. For instance, in Georgetown there will be a mixture of first past the post and proportional representation. “We get the distinct impression from our commissioners that it doesn’t seem that they are ready for local government elections,” he said.

Local Government elections have not been held since 1994 and since then many municpalities and neighborhood democratic councils have fallen into administrative despair due to death, resignation and absenteeism.